Grommets

Below is an information sheet about Grommets and glue ear which I wrote. Click on the image below to open.

Grommet Operation Video

In the video below I have a view of the ear drum down the microscope:

A small cut is mad in the ear drum.

A tiny sucker then sucks out the GLUE. It is actually just very thick mucus which often has a consistency similar to glue – hence glue ear.

Once as much glue has been sucked out as is possible and the space behind the ear drum can be seen, then grommet is inserted.

The grommet will stay in for about 1 year and then come out by itself. It drops into the ear canal and works its way along the ear canal and drops out of the ear hole.

The ear drum should normally have air behind it so it can vibrate easily when sound hits it. It is easy to see how this thick mucus behind the ear drum can stop the ear drum vibrating properly and so reduce the hearing.